What's the best wind controller/interface for PT 9

[CMaxMusic]

I've been trying to get some authentic horn sounds (Sax and Trombone, to be exact) out of PT-9. I've used Reason NN-XT and midi keyboard input, and then edited the heck out of the expression and breath controllers, with limited success - OK for short bursts, but not realistic for sustained notes. I'd like to use a wind controller - Akai or Yamaha - and there is a lot of information out there for performance, but not direct recording into PT. So, PT users everywhere, my question is, what is the easiest method for getting realistic woodwind/brass sounds out of Pro Tools using a wind controller? Which wind controller, and what additional software/patches are recommended. I'm a relative newby at this and the less hardware, the better. Thanks!

[agfrag]

I have been using the Akai EWI USB for about 6 months with M powered PT9, and it will turn notes on and off, but I have not seen way to actually cause the breath controller to work. It works like a single velocity keyboard in MPT9, with no breath volume control. If I do find a way to get it to work, I'll let you know, but so far, no advice I've found.

The Garritan software that came with it works fine standalone, and as an RTAS plug in, and it utilizes the breath control just fine in PT, but you don't get many sounds with it.

[daeron80]

The problem is, not many instruments support it. The problem is not with the controllers, it's with the VI developers failing to implement support for them. Most VIs are basically complex toys these days. There's very little consideration for those of us who would like to learn to use them as serious musical instruments. Sad situation.

[lowlights]

I'm glad someone is discussing this. I'd love to see Structure and XPand include breath controller MIDI data. If we're using sampled brass/wind - it seems a natural.

[Maggi2727]

I use a Yamaha BC3 breath controller and a Midi Solutions BC3A. It's was a bit of a fiddle to get it to work right, a bit of a fiddle to figure out which parameters (or combination or parameters) to automate on various VIs, and sometimes it requires a little cleanup work after recording the automation; but I find it more useful than the average keyboard controller…and cheaper.